I'll be
by Kiss.Me.Under.The.Misteltoe
Summary: What would happen if Darien, Serena and the gang grew up in New York City instead of Tokyo? What would happen if Serena and Darien were the same age? What would happen if they grew up in the same building and had been friends since before they were born?
1. Stop me and steal my breath

**Chapter One: Stop me and steal my breath…**

_**The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful  
**__**Stop me and steal my breath  
**__**And emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky  
**__**Never revealing their depth **_

Serena looked around her and smiled. This had been one of the best ideas she'd ever had, paying for a two week get away with her best friends. Amy, Lita, Mina and Raye had been reluctant at first, but after careful planning around everyone's schedules, Serena had insisted. They had agreed roughly two weeks before the actual trip, and of course, Serena had told them all that she knew they would come, since she ALWAYS got what she wanted.

"Sere, you really shouldn't smile like that, you look like a crazed psycho killer." Raye teased. "And pray tell, just why ARE you smiling like that?"

"I never knew anywhere outside the city could be so beautiful. Who would've thought that Vermont was this amazing?" She sighed and looked around again before motioning to the bell boy to bring their luggage to their rooms. When she planned the trip, she had made sure each girl had her own separate room, because if they didn't each have their own get away space, by the end of the two weeks, each and every one of them would have killed each other many times over. She giggled at that thought and linked arms with Mina, the two blonde bombshells who could have been twins albeit their totally opposite personalities.

They walked into the huge main lobby and Serena gasped. There, in all his 6'4", dark brown hair, steel blue eyes, rock hard body, olive skinned magnificence was her best guy friend, Darien Shields. He looked her way and she felt a strange fluttering in her stomach. _Well that's odd, why did my stomach flip flop when Darien looked our way? _She smiled, pushed away the feeling and ran into his outstretched arms and squealed.

"Dare! What are you DOING here?" She asked when he finally let her go. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he looked down at her, a twinkle that set off those butterflies again. _What the hell!_ _I **cannot** be getting butterflies from looking at Darien…no, that's not it, I'm just hungry. Yeah, hungry that's all. _

"I'm here to see you Princess." That was his nickname for her, ever since they were 13 and she had been Cinderella in the school play to his Prince Charming.

"But…why?"

"Long story shirt, the mom's has husband number five in for a couple weeks and when you said you'd be here and to call you…well I decided to take it one step further. Sadly, all their rooms are taken. Some sort of Chiropractic Convention this month? So…what do you say Sere?" He gave her his signature smirk that melted so many girls they knew.

"About what? What am I supposed to be considering?"

"Sere…don't play that game. Can I stay in your room for the time you're here…or at least until a room opens?...Pwetty pwease?" Now how could she resist a look like that? His gorgeous mouth turned into a puppy dog pout, eyes still twinkling, mocking her, knowing she'd say yes and that he'd already won.

"I'm going to say yes, but ONLY because you've been my best friend since we were born." Her blue eyes twinkled just the same as his as he scooped her into his arms again, laughing and squeezing her.

"Alright, I'll go get my bags. Thanks sweet cheeks." He winked at her and went out to the parking lot to his shiny, cherry red Porsche.

"SERENA KATHRYN! WHAT DID YOU JUST DO! WHY DID YOU LET HIM STAY!" The girls yelled in unison as soon as Darien was out of ear shot.

"Guys, you don't know how it is at Darien's house okay? Just drop it. Nothing's going to change, it'll still be a girl's vacation. He won't be in the way, I pinkie promise."

The first few days Serena kept her promise, they all went swimming, hiking, shopping in the city and stealing the keys to operate the ski lifts so they could ride them to the tops of the hills and roll down the ones without to many trees in the way, you know…normal stuff. Then gradually, they started drifting apart…Mina found a guy in the city and started seeing him every day, Raye also found a guy while she was doing her daily services in the nearby temple, Amy had been suspiciously absent for a few days after she had met a guy at the library and Lita had called Andrew to come up from New York, and no one had seen them leave her room for three days, but room service kept coming, so they knew she was okay.

Serena sighed, this girl's holiday was turning out to be the holiday of hook ups…and she didn't have anyone.  
**_You have Darien!_  
**_No I don't! He has Kate, and besides, he doesn't like me like that…  
__**He does too! Can't you see that you idiot?**  
Why am I arguing with you? I can just do this, _and with that Serena shook her head and cleared her thoughts.


	2. Tell me that we belong together

**Chapter Two: Tell me that we belong together…**

_Tell me that we belong together _

_Dress it up with the trappings of love _

_I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_

After all the girls had gone their separate ways, Serena and Darien spent increasing amounts of time alone in her suite, the funny thing was, they weren't even DOING anything. They were just sitting around in their pajamas eating ice cream and watching old movies. Three days before they had to leave to go back to the city, drastic changes were made in Serena and Darien's relationship.

It had all started innocently enough, they were doing what they had done every day for the past week, watching old movies and talking about everything. Halfway through her pint of Triple Fudge Brownie ice cream, Serena turned her head to find Darien staring at her.

"Dare? Why are you staring at…mmmph." Serena's question was cut off by Darien's lips pressing against hers. She put her hands up to push him off of her, but by the time she had put the ice cream down, she was caught up in the kiss and started running her hands through his shaggy, gorgeous, dark brown hair.

The kiss lasted for a good five minutes, neither of them stopping for air, just breathing through their noses. Sure it was a weird sensation, but Serena didn't want this moment to end. When they finally came up for air, they were both breathing heavily and had somehow ended up horizontally along the couch, Darien had her pinned.

"Darien…what…why?" Serena stumbled for the right words to try and express what was running through her head.

"Sere, I love you…that's the reason I came here…I've loved you since we were 13 in that stupid play…" He laughed nervously, afraid of what she would say next.

Unleashing her hand from underneath Darien's knee, she moved it to turn his face to hers, making him look into her eyes. What she did next surprised both of them. She brought his face to hers, and initiated another round of tonsil hockey. A short while after that, she was tugging at the hem of his shirt, pulling it off of him roughly, separating their mouths for a brief moment to throw the shirt to the floor.

Running her hands along his rock hard abs, his gorgeous, gorgeous abs, she moaned and he started kissing her with more zeal. Not long after that, her shirt too was on the floor. And not long after that at all, she was completely naked, while he still had his boxers on.

"Sere, are you sure?" He asked her, gazing into her eyes, concern in his.

"I've never been so sure in my life Dare."

"But aren't you a…" He didn't have to finish that question for her to blush and turn her head away, mumbling something incoherently. "Don't be embarrassed Sere, I love the fact that you are…I wish I was again…"

She gazed up at him, and in that split second she knew she was ready, and that must have showed on her face because he picked her up gently and carried her into the bedroom. Setting her gently on the bed, he took off his boxers and kneeled in front of her, drinking in her beauty. _Good God she's so beautiful…_ he thought as he started caressing her breasts. She moaned in response and edged closer to him.

Taking that cue he began smothering her body in light, tender kisses, raising goose bumps on her pale skin, making her shiver in pleasure. Working his way from her neck, he moved farther and farther down, and suddenly, without warning shoved into her. His tactic worked, as she gasped from the momentary pain, but did not get fazed as she hadn't had time to anticipate what was happening.

Their bodies moving in time with one another, they started to compose a beautiful work of art. Her thrusts meeting his, rolling around in the oversized bed, sweating against one another, showing their exertion. Until finally they each reached the highlight of their lovemaking. Breathing rapidly and clutching each other for dear life, one more thrust and they were both over the edge, plummeting into wave after wave of sheer bliss. And then, they were asleep. Two best friends turned lovers, falling asleep in each others arms. What harm was there in that?


	3. Love's Suicide

**Chapter Three: Love's Suicide…**

_I'll Be your cryin' shoulder _

_I'll Be loves suicide _

_I'll Be better when I'm older_

_I'll Be the greatest fan of your life_

Two months after Serena and Darien hooked up, things were going great…at least, that's what Serena thought.

"Sere, I think we need to see other people." Serena looked up at Darien, her mouth hanging open in shock.

"What? Why!" Serena fumbled over her words, so many things in her brain dying to jump out, but none of it made sense to her.

"I never loved you Sere…I just said that to see what you were like in bed. You see, Alex and I had a bet to see if I could get you to fall in love with me, and consequently to lose your virginity to me. And surprise! I won." Darien smirked and turned to walk away.

"Darien…" His name came out in almost a whisper, while she grabbed his arm. He spun around once again and gave a cruel grin, his beautiful steel blue eyes ice cold, his stare hard.

"Don't you get it Sere? I…Don't…Like…You…I…NEVER…Liked…You…" And with that said he turned around, and the last thing Serena saw before her eyes filled with tears was the sight of him walking away, out of her life…forever.

Serena fumbled through the next few days, crying over anything that reminded her of Darien. She would go through the day without even seeing or hearing anything, feigning joy, but feeling pain. By the end of the day that Darien had broke up with her, everyone important knew about it, and now she couldn't go through two minutes of alone time before someone came up to her and expressed their condolences and asked if she was ok. _What the fuck? Did someone die and nobody decided to tell me?_ She thought after a particularly pushy girl from her English class, who had been asking her every day whether or not she was going to be ok finally walked away.

"Sere! We need to talk. Stat." Mina said as she pulled Serena by her shoulder towards the girls' bathroom.

"What is it Min? I have to get to lunch, I think I'm going to need to drown my sorrows in carbs…lots and lots of French Fries." Serena sighed as she felt the tears welling up again that had been the first thing she ordered the morning after she woke up in Darien's arms.

"No time for French Fries Sere, guess what I over heard that hot new guy Ty saying?" Mina gushed excitedly, apparently either not noticing Serena was on the verge of tears, or not caring.

"What did you hear Min? That he wants to jump your bones? Congratu-fucking-lations." Serena growled as she turned to walk out of the bathroom.

"No, Sere he said he wanted YOU, you Sere. He wants YOU." Serena paused with her hand on the door. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Sere, he said he was going to ask you out when you got to lunch." Serena turned around and gave Mina a totally uncalled for look, shook her head and slammed out of the bathroom.

When Serena got into the hallway she ran into something rather solid and fell to the ground.

"Serena! Are you ok? I am so sorry! Here let me help you up!" Serena raised her head and found herself staring into the eyes of the most gorgeous boy she had ever seen in her life. "Serena? Are you ok?" McGorgeous was holding out his hand for her to take so he could help her up, and she did a mental head shake and took it.

"Hi…yeah, I'm ok. Sorry I got in your way." She stammered, blushing when he didn't let it go.

"No, I'm sorry that I got in yours. Anyone so beautiful had to have had the right away." He smiled and Serena's heart, which had been so stony and ice cold since Darien had dumped her, melted.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name…" Serena smiled back and did her signature hair toss, the move she knew made guys feel heat.

"Oh, right. I guess you wouldn't remember me. I'm Harper, we went to grade school together and then I--."

"Your family moved to Oregon! Oh my God Harper! How have you been? Why are you here?" Serena cut him off and jumped into his arms, hugging him hard, and noticing that those muscles really WERE as amazing as they looked. When she realized that it had been several seconds and the appropriate time had came and gone, she blushed and let go.

She looked into his eyes and saw they sparkled like someone else's she had longed for for weeks. Harper must have seen her face fall because he immediately stopped laughing and looked concerned.

"Sere, what's wrong?" He asked her while he brushed her arm with his hand.

"Nothing…ok…something…I just…you remind me of this guy, that's all." She sighed and started walking towards her locker at the end of the hall.

"Sere, where are you going? I thought we were going to hang out." Harper asked, following Serena as she stalked down the hall.

"I'm going home. I suddenly don't feel like being at school. Sorry Harper. Call me and we'll hang out, k?" Serena grabbed her books, slammed the locker door and ran out the double doors into the rain. As soon as she got near her car, so threw her books on the ground and tilted her head towards the sky, letting the cold rain drench her thoroughly, letting it wash away all the feelings she had thought she would never have again after seeing Harper again, letting it wash away all the heartache and pain and most importantly letting it wash away her tears.

Serena walked through the front door to her Park Avenue loft that her parents bought her on her sixteenth birthday, to get away when she needed to and froze. HE was standing at the door. HE was standing, searching for the hidden key that he knew she kept. HE was standing there in his Armani suit looking absolutely gorgeous. Why was HE standing outside her door? She must have drew in a breath louder than she thought because he spun around and stared at her, smiling as she took shaky steps towards him.

"Sere! How ya been? Good? That's great. YOU look great Sere." He rambled as she got closer, his words increasingly frantic and nervous. _Good, let him suffer, let him feel even a thousandth of what I've felt lately. _Serena thought bitterly as she unlocked the door, slipped inside and closed it sharply behind her, nearly catching Darien in the crossfire.

"SERE! OPEN THE DOOR! Serena, please! We need to talk!" Darien pounded on her door, harder and harder, for minutes until she finally felt like answering.

"I thought I was just a bet Darien. If I was just a bet, why are you here? What is there to talk about? You and that jackass had a bet, you won and I got hurt, game over. There's nothing left to say." She smiled as he started pounding harder and examined her cuticles. _I never thought being bad could feel so good._ She laughed again, loud enough for him to hear.

"Sere! I want you back! Please! I lied, you weren't a bet! I was scared! Sere, PLEASE!" He sounded like he was crying and she had to stifle yet another laugh.

"I'm sorry Darien, I have a date tonight." _Oh snap, what the hell did I just get myself into. _

"You WHAT! Sere, what the fuck?" He screamed through the door , and started pounding harder.

"You heard me Dare, I have a d-a-t-e. I know you can spell, so think about it long and hard and maybe you'll get the point."

Serena heard him slump against the door, still pounding against it, and that's when she finally broke down. She went into her bedroom, which faced the west. She sat there while her phone rang and rang, no doubt it was Darien trying to convince her he loved her more than life. She stared out that picture window until she saw the April sun start to set, she stayed there until the sun was gone and all she could see were city lights and stars…and that's when she started to cry. She didn't know why she was crying, for herself, for Darien, for Harper, for her friends, for joy, for pain, for sadness…for everything…and as she reached into the nightstand next to the bed, she pulled out the pair of scissors she used to cut stray strings off her clothes…and cut into her wrist.

The pain was unbearable for a second, and then it was numbed by the tears flowing down her face. She cut deeper and longer until the pain in her heart was out done by the pain in her wrists. She couldn't help but laugh as she looked down at the blood flowing from her wrists onto her perfect, tiny hands, to see the reddish brown liquid pouring from her body, feeling weaker and weaker every passing second. Her last thought before she fell unconscious was a song she had heard at the Homecoming dance that year with Darien.

"_I'll Be your cryin' shoulder _

_I'll Be loves suicide _

_I'll Be better when I'm older_

_I'll Be the greatest fan of your life"_

_I'll be loves suicide…but who'll be the greatest fan of my life?_ Serena thought before her world went completely black.


	4. You're my survival

**Chapter Four: You're my survival…**

_And rain falls angry on the tin roof_

_As we lie awake in my bed_

_You're My Survival, You're My Living Proof_

_My love is alive and not dead_

Darien had been sitting outside Serena's door for hours now, crying, thinking, screaming at her to open it, wondering what she was doing, pounding on it and calling her. When he looked at his Rolex he saw he'd been sitting outside the door for 7 hours, it was almost 10 o'clock! _If Sere had a date where is she? Why hasn't anyone shown up or why hasn't she come out? I'll wait another twenty minutes and if she isn't out I'll call the cops, there's something wrong. _Twenty more minutes passed and he finally took the cell phone out of its ceremonious place against the wall, and dialed 911.

"Hello, 911 operator, what may I ask is the purpose of your call?" The voice on the end of the line said.

"Hello, this is Darien Shields and I'm at my friend's apartment on Park Avenue. She disappeared inside around 3, and hasn't come out since, she said she had a date, which means she should've came out…but she hasn't. I'm worried she's hurt or something. Please come!" Darien said frantically into his cell, worrying every second Sere wasn't walking out that door looking fabulous.

"Ok sir, we'll be there shortly. Do you want to stay on the line or would you just like to wait for the ambulance and police to get there?"

"I'll go wait for them, thank you." Darien hung up and felt a little more relieved, he finally felt a little peace, he didn't know why. Deep inside, Darien suspected that Sere had started her old habit again. The habit she had developed when her dad died when she was eleven from a heart attack while he was running.

The police had to break down Serena's door to get inside. The searched the place, but Darien knew exactly where to find her before they even got there…and he knew what to expect. When they opened her bedroom door, the paramedics drew in their breath, and it even shocked Darien, although he knew what to expect, he didn't think it would be that bad. The blood all over the bed, pooling in a puddle on the floor beside where Serena lay, his fragile, perfect ballerina…his baby…the love of his life…the girl that he'd been so afraid to lose before he got in over his head that he had to cut his heart in two. He heard someone scream, and distantly recognized it as his own voice. The police officers tried to hold him back but he pushed them off of him and took Serena in his arms, her body was cold…so cold…he pressed his body to hers, trying desperately to warm her in any way. He noticed the paramedics were working on her body that was underneath his, trying to take vitals and stats, he also noticed that tears were flowing down his face and washing away some of the blood streaked on hers, probably from wiping her own tears away. Then, the paramedic checking for a pulse said the words that sent his heart soaring with overwhelming joy and relief.

"She's got a pulse. It's weak…but it's there."

After many transfusions of blood, stitches and other medical mumbo jumbo, Darien was allowed in Serena's intensive care room.

She didn't look like herself. She was too pale, her famous hair too limp…she didn't look like the girl he had fell in love with in preschool. The rosy tinge was gone from her cheeks, her vibrant blue eyes closed and shadowed over with purple, her perfect body trying desperately to hang on and to heal. His heart ached to see her in so much pain, self inflicted or not, because he knew that on some level he HAD caused most, if not all, of the reasons she had thought of before she had decided to hurt herself again.

He sat in the chair next to her bed and took her delicate, fragile hand in his large, masculine one. Rubbing tiny circles with his thumb against her palm, he thought about all the times they had spent with one another, good and bad alike.

**Flashback: First day of preschool**

_Darien clung to his nanny's leg, crying and pleading for her not to leave him here with strange kids he didn't know. She gently pried his tiny hands off of her leg and took them in her own._

_"Darien," she said, "This is your first day of preschool, I know it's scary, but it's going to be great! I promise! Look over there, that little girl is sad too, and she has the same bear you do! Go talk to her Dare, I'll be right here when school is over." She kissed his forehead, pointed him towards the little girl and walked out the door._

_Darien cautiously walked towards the little girl with the long blonde hair, who was clutching a polar bear stuffed animal to her chest, looking around with huge, fearful blue eyes and stuck out his hand. "I'm Darien Endymion Shields. Did you get your polar bear from Central Park too? I did, I named him P.B., which is short for polar bear. What's your name?"_

_The little girl shook his hand and smiled, "I'm Serena Kathryn Talbot. I did get my bear at Central Park and her name is Reni, like how my name sounds. Se-REN-a, and I added an i." She smiled a bigger smile and hugged him. "You're the first person to talk to me today. Thank you. Let's be friends. Best Friends."_

_Darien nodded and took her hand, "Let's go play with the blocks Sere."_

_"Why'd you just call me Sere? My name is Serena…" Serena looked at her new friend, baffled by the new name he had just called her._

_"I don't know…I just thought it's the first four letters of your name, and it's easier to say. Don't you like it?"_

_"Yes, I actually do like it. Thank you for giving me a new nickname Darien. I'll call you Dare, and we can be Dare and Sere. Heehee." Serena giggled and took Darien's hand and led him to the blocks, where they played until their nanny's picked them up. _

**Flashback Ends**

"Sere, can you hear my voice?" Darien asked, stroking her fingers. She didn't respond, but he knew she could hear him, so he started talking about all the things they'd been through together, all their great days and unforgettable nights. He talked until he ran out of things to say somewhere near 8 a.m.

He felt his eyes start to close, and climbed into bed next to Serena, holding her in his arms. "I love you Sere."

Serena awoke the next morning, not sure where she was, in pain and wondering who was holding her. She looked down at herself and found she was attached to lots of tubes and things that were beeping, she was in a hospital…wait, she was ALIVE. _Oh joy, someone found me and had to be a good Samaritan, didn't they understand that I didn't WANT to live? _She sighed and looked at who was holding her, which made the monitors she was hooked to start beeping frantically, it was Darien. She caressed his cheek with the back of her hand and his eyes fluttered open.

"Morning Princess, you don't know how happy I am to see that you're awake."

"Darien…why did you…why am I here?" Serena asked.

"Serena, you're here because I love you, because everyone you've ever known LOVES you, because I had a suspicion that you had started cutting again and that you would try something like this, and I couldn't let you die Sere. I love you too much." He kissed her forehead and her eyes opened wider than they already had been.

She put her head against his chest and sighed, and when he felt the wetness of her tears soaking his shirt, he pulled her harder against him and stroked her hair. A song they had danced to at Homecoming popped into his head and he whispered a line of it into Serena's ear.

"I love you more than anything in this world Sere..." Which only made her cry harder and when she finally fell asleep it was because the love of her life was holding her in his arms, whispering sweet nothings into her ear.


	5. Dress it up with the trappings of love

**Chapter Five: Dress it up with the trappings of love…**

_Tell me that we belong together_

_Dress it up with the trappings of love_

_I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_

A month had passed since Serena got out of the hospital, since the terrible night that she had almost died…and since the morning that she woke up in Darien's arms…since the afternoon they got back together. She smiled as she thought of all the things they had done since then, riding in Central Park, running up the stairs to the roof of their building watching the stars and city lights all night talking about everything…and nothing. Tonight they were going to their Senior Prom, and Darien had something special planned that he wouldn't tell her.

She looked in the mirror, admiring how the strapless, bead designed, baby blue Versace dress made her look, gazing at her flowing blonde hair, curled and pulled up into a bun, tendrils framing her face…_Exactly like the Princess he thinks I am, _she thought, smiling to herself. Then her mother burst into her room, smiling from ear to ear.

"He's here darling…you look amazing." Sharon gushed, tripping forward and spilling her Martini all over Serena's floor.

"MOM! Stop it! Just leave okay? I'll be down in a minute!" She pushed Sharon out the door and sighed. _Don't cry Sere, you'll ruin the makeup you spent hours on to get it just right for him, just smile like nothing's wrong until after Prom. Now grab your bag_, Serena grabbed her overnight bag,_ pile some clothes into it_, she piled some clothes into it, _grab your purse,_ she grabbed her purse, _and head out the door, just forget about everything else except for tonight and your wonderful amazing boyfriend waiting for you downstairs._ She walked out her bedroom door and sighed, making an entrance was always a terrible feat.

As she descended the stairs, slowly Darien came into view, which made her smile more than she already was. He looked gorgeous in his custom Armani tux with a baby blue cummerbund, his steel blue eyes sparkling, and his grin enormous. He held out his hand and helped her down the last few stairs, then without pausing to do anything else he led her out the front door and into the waiting limo.

The rest of the night was a blur to her, she vaguely remembered dancing with every one of her friends' and with Darien to all the slow songs. When the dance was over, instead of having the limo take them to the after party, Darien gave the driver an address and snuggled into her.

She remembered falling asleep in his arms, and waking up when he carried her out of the limo. She smiled up at him and he felt his heart melt, like it did every time his perfect angel smiled his way.

Serena smelled the ocean, which was weird…She looked up at Darien with a question in her eyes and he smiled down at her. It was then she noticed they were walking towards a spot in the sand with a blanket and candles. She smiled up at him and he laughed. When they got to the blanket he put her down gently and lay down beside her. He pulled her close to him to benefit them both with each others' body heat and they fell asleep in each others arms.

Sometimes during the night it had started to rain, which woke them up. Serena started giggling like mad and pulled Darien up to dance with her. She ran around the beach, into the surf, back to the beach, around in circles, anywhere and everywhere she wanted, she ran too.

Darien just watched her, his darling, beautiful, angel with her blonde hair finding its way out of the bun and flowing behind her. She looked like some mythical enchantress or something, it was wonderful. He couldn't believe how amazingly lucky he was to have her.

When Serena was thoroughly drenched through her dress and covered in sand, she ran towards Darien, arms outstretched, smile wide, and launched herself into his arms, falling on top of him and bringing such force with her giant leap, toppled them both to the ground. They both laughed and then looking into each other's eyes, they kissed.

They stayed up the rest of the night in each others arms, not talking, just listening to the ocean and watching the sun come up. When they finally got sick of being damp and sandy, Darien called his driver to come get them and they went back to his house to sleep.

"Christina Elise Sanders," The headmistress at Serena's school announced, it was graduation day and the girls were in their white robes and caps, waiting anxiously for their name to be called, for it to be official that they were adults and moving onto the next stage of their lives, some apart and some together, but regardless, they were moving on.

"Serena Kathryn Talbot," Serena bolted from her place, with a little less than grace, and practically ran onto the stage, accepting her diploma eagerly.

"Be careful and have fun with life Serena." Miss Dylan whispered in Serena's ear, she just nodded and grinned back at her.

When the ceremony was over, Serena went searching through the crowd to find Darien. He had graduated the week before from the boy's prep academy down the street, and had been rubbing it in Serena's face all week, now SHE had something to rub in his face. When she found him, he was standing with her parents getting ready to take pictures. She ran the last few yards towards him, leaping into his arms like she did so much these days and kissed him on the forehead. He laughed and swung her around, finally letting her go when they noticed her mother and step-dad were gone.

"Sere, it's ok. They're probably around here somewhere just talking to other parents or something." He slipped his arm around her waist and led her around, trying to find her so called parents.

When everyone had left except Serena and Darien, Serena finally started crying. "Darien, why did I think that they would be here on one of the most important days of my life? They haven't even been here for me on any other day of it. Let's just go back to your place ok? I have to tell you something important."

Darien sighed and nodded. Her parents were such screw ups, couldn't they see that their daughter was slipping away? Hell what was he thinking? They couldn't see anything past making more money, her step-dad, and their next drink, her mom.

When they got to Darien's studio apartment, Serena took two things out of her purse and sat down next to him.

"Darien…you know how I haven't been feeling to hot lately? Well, this explains why." She handed him the things she had pulled out of her purse and he looked at them. "That stick thing is a pregnancy test…it's positive…and the other is a sonogram that I got after I took the test…That's out baby Dare…"

He sat there in shock, trying to process all the information. He looked at Serena, who was silently crying, and pulled her into his arms…he was going to be a dad…


End file.
